Women take the spotlight at first Brazil presidential debate

By DAVID BILLER
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian presidential candidates have squared off in their first debate — with the jousting overshadowed by questions about President Jair Bolsonaro’s treatment of women. Sunday night’s debate became something of a pile-on after Bolsonaro snapped at journalist Vera Magalhães after she asked about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. He accused her of having “some kind of passion for me″ and called her ”an embarrassment to Brazilian journalism″ Candidate Soraya Thronicke said the comments were an example of a man being “a pussycat with other men” while coming at women “as a big tiger.”